This topic describes how to express the date and time format (the time pattern string) for the DATE_TIME variable.
For example, in Next Number Maintenance, you can use the DATE_TIME variable to include date and (or) time in a numbering scheme definition.
The syntax is as follows, where timepatternstring is described in this topic: %DATE_TIME.[timepatternstring]%
When the DATE_TIME parameter is used to define the next numbering pattern for SFC numbers, the numbers generated must conform to the rules for valid SFC numbers. The symbols described below are valid for use in the timepatternstring of
the DATE_TIME.[timepatternstring]
variable, but you must exercise caution in creating the patterns; otherwise, their use can generate strings that are not valid SFC numbers.
The number of characters in an SFC number cannot exceed 128. A pattern containing an invalid pattern character will result in an error during formatting or parsing.
Note that all generated SFC numbers are shifted to uppercase.
The following table shows the valid characters (symbols) that can be used in the time pattern string (timepatternstring):
Symbol |
Meaning |
Presentation |
Example |
---|---|---|---|
G |
era designator |
Text |
AD |
y |
year |
Number |
2010 (yyyy in string) |
M |
month in year |
Text* or Number |
July or Jul or 07 |
d |
day in month |
Number |
10 |
h |
hour in am/pm (1–12) |
Number |
12 |
H |
hour in day (0–23) |
Number |
0 |
m |
minute in hour |
Number |
30 |
s |
second in minute |
Number |
55 |
S |
millisecond |
Number |
978 |
E |
day in week |
Text* |
Tuesday |
D |
day in year |
Number |
189 |
F |
day of week in month |
Number |
2 (2nd Wed in July) |
w |
week in year |
Number |
27 |
W |
week in month |
Number |
2 |
a |
am/pm marker |
Text* |
PM |
k |
hour in day (1–24) |
Number |
24 |
K |
hour in am/pm (0–11) |
Number |
0 |
z |
time zone |
Text* |
Pacific Standard Time or PST |
The count of pattern letters determines the format, as follows:
Presentation |
Affect of the Count of the Symbol |
---|---|
Text |
The number of pattern letters controls whether the full form or abbreviation (if one exists) is used:
|
Number |
The number of pattern letters controls the minimum number of digits. Shorter numbers are zero-padded to this amount. The handling of the year (y) is a special case: If the count of y is 2, the year is truncated to 2 digits. |
Text and Number |
The number of pattern letters controls whether a number or letter is used. If the number is 3 or over, use Text, otherwise use Number. |
The following are examples of date formatting patterns for DATE_TIME and the resulting output:
Pattern |
Result |
---|---|
yyyy MM dd G hh mm ss zzzz |
2008 11 12 AD 06 56 00 EASTERN EUROPEAN TIME |
EEE MMM d yy |
MON NOV 12 07 |
h mm a |
7 00 PM |
K mm a z |
7 02 PM EET |
Note that the examples above illustrate a wide range of possibilities for expressing dates using DATE_FORMAT, but as stated earlier, not all options are suitable for use in defining next numbering.